Taylor & Hart's Blog

“Our own fairytale story is working out pretty well”

We share the heartwarming story of David and Jasmine. We chat about how the couple met, long-distance love, Jasmine’s unique engagement ring design and their fairytale barnyard wedding plans for the future.

How did you and Jasmine meet?

We met at a pub in Devon, where we both used to live. It just so happens that we met on the night of my farewell drinks as I was moving back up to Scotland. I was chatting to the landlord and Jasmine randomly joined our conversation.

As the night went on, we ended up sitting together, chatting away and we hit it off big time.

Because I was moving away, we organised to meet up halfway in Liverpool. I ended up going back to Devon with her and meeting her family. I knew I wanted to see her again because my heart sank as I was leaving the station to head back up to Glasgow.

So for the first year we were together, we were always on the phone and we were travelling back and forth to see each other.

The following year was really hard for both of us. Jasmine then moved up to Scotland and she was my rock. I think we’ve helped each other through so many things.

Luckily enough, we’ve been together for just over three years now. We bought our first house in January. Everything has happened pretty quickly, but it’s been great. We’ve done so many things in that time.

What is it about Jasmine that makes you smile?

Her quirkiness and craziness makes me smile. It’s just so surreal. She’s pure comedy.
She makes me laugh – I could have the worst day of my life and she could do something so innocent and we will both end up in fits of laughter.

I’m so relaxed with her, I can be myself.

How did you go about choosing an engagement ring?

I’m the last lad from my friendship group to get married, so there’s definitely some pressure on me.

Whenever Jasmine and I would pass a jewellery shop, she would always take a look at the wee sparkly things, dropping hints about what she liked. But every time we’d go in, her design ideas would change which made me nervous.

So I looked up bespoke engagement rings online and it was actually on the live chat that I got speaking to Maria. I explained that I was stumped for ideas, but asked that if I shared a couple of photos with her, would she be able to give me some ideas?

Before I know it, we’re chatting away via email – she got back to me with three initial designs. The only thing I can compare it to is me cooking a three course meal in two minutes. That’s the only way I can explain it. Her design sketches were phenomenal!

Jasmine had mentioned that she liked ring designs that featured an entwined, leaf inspired band. Based on the first designs, I asked if we could incorporate an autumnal leaf-feel and she came back with another design and I thought ‘this is it’.

The ring was something that we’ve actually both decided on. I chose the shape and the design, but the colour of the sapphire and and the leaf idea was Jasmine.

The whole process made me feel so safe and secure. I had regular contact from Maria and she worked with me to make the design perfect.

Maria created a whirlwind of fantastic-ness. The journey’s been brilliant.

How did you propose?

It was completely different to how I’d normally expect a proposal to go.

She was meant to be travelling to Bristol and I was getting paranoid about hiding the ring somewhere. I came home one night, with a banging headache. I had the ring delivered to work, so now I had it at home, hidden in my grandfather’s cufflink box just incase she went snooping around. I put the box into one of the inside pockets of my jacket in the wardrobe.

I was debating whether I should go ahead and do it or wait.

And I just got a massive wave of excitement and asked Jasmine to get me a paracetamol from the bedroom for my headache.

She was looking around the bedroom and a lightbulb just clicked in my mind and I called into her “they’re inside my jacket pocket in the wardrobe.”

So I followed her into the bedroom and she actually picked out the ring box from the jacket and placed it on the side and kept looking for the paracetamol. I couldn’t believe it – she didn’t have a clue that the ring was just sitting there.

So I picked it up, knelt down behind her and said “have you found it yet?”

She turned around and there I was with the ring. It was so funny. She looked so bemused – in fact, the first word that came out of her mouth as the F word!

And she said “What? Now? I’m in my gym clothes!” It took her a few seconds to actually register what was happening, but she was delighted and said “wow” when she put the ring on.

People asked why I didn’t propose while we were on holiday, or out at dinner. Knowing Jasmine, she’s not really a grand gesture person. She’s a very private, low-key person and in hindsight, it couldn’t have worked out better because we have a great, funny story to tell.

What are the dreams you share together for the future?

Jasmine is training to be a nurse and she’ll qualify in 2019. At the moment, she’s in wedding mode. We’ve been visiting barn wedding venues, where she wants to have leaves, flowers, candles. Jas has got her ideas of a completely different ceremony altogether – having food first and getting married at night time just as the sun sets – like a fairytale.

Our own fairytale story is working out pretty well.

How about your honeymoon plans?

I’m comfortable driving abroad so we’ve decided to do a driving trip through Italy, staying at some hostels along the way.

We’re starting off in Rome followed by Lake Garda, Venice and finishing in Sorrento over 14 days.

A huge congratulations to David & Jasmine – we wish them all the best for the future and look forward to them returning to us for their wedding rings!

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